California farmers fear wells will soon go dry

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There is no question the wells are running dry. This was predicted 60 years ago by measuring the water drop drop in the Central Valley vs agricultural consumption. Agriculture uses about 90% of the water in California. Residential use is only 2%. The solution is that Central Valley farmers will need to move to drip irrigation crops.In general, California irrigates using some of the most wasteful irrigation processes in the world. Within the next 20 years Central Valley farmers will need to switch to better irrigation practices.
 
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
California at least protected a tiny fish called the delta smelt and stopped farmers and other humans from getting the water that belonged to this fish.

Officials are also draining water from lakes and reservoirs along the American and Stanislaus rivers to encourage a salmon to swim back to the ocean faster than normal. These water releases directly into the ocean are so powerful that safety alerts are issued and people are warned to stay away from these rivers.

It appears that someone forgot to tell these experts that there was a bit of a drought in California and these experiments are destroying thousands and thousands of acres of farm land. There's been no proof that this experiment was needed and no proof that a stunt like this has ever works and it appears that it's no working now. The solution? More water is scheduled to be released.

It's comforting to know that our government is taking care of us.

Draining water into the ocean.

Delta smelt.


Yes this ^^.

What's also interesting is the % rainfall totals for the year so far. It's interesting to see that most of the north bay is above 100% of normal rainfall. I guess that rain didn't fall in the reservoirs where it was needed.

http://www.mercurynews.com/drought/ci_27...ia-getting-much
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
Many reports are saying they are pulling too much water out of the ground, the ground is getting compacted and the underground aquifer will never hold the same quantity of water again. A farmer has a 400' well. Farmer next door drills a 600' well and the 400' well begins to go dry. The farmer with the 400' well drills a 800' well, and so it goes.

Almond trees are mentioned as being a huge consumer of water. One gallon per almond. And you cannot leave an almond grove fallow when there is no water like you could with other crops.

Either recycle the gray water and/or desalinization.
figures lie and liars figure. I'll take the trees over the pools in the LA basin.
 
Originally Posted By: shinyWheels
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
California at least protected a tiny fish called the delta smelt and stopped farmers and other humans from getting the water that belonged to this fish.

Officials are also draining water from lakes and reservoirs along the American and Stanislaus rivers to encourage a salmon to swim back to the ocean faster than normal. These water releases directly into the ocean are so powerful that safety alerts are issued and people are warned to stay away from these rivers.

It appears that someone forgot to tell these experts that there was a bit of a drought in California and these experiments are destroying thousands and thousands of acres of farm land. There's been no proof that this experiment was needed and no proof that a stunt like this has ever works and it appears that it's no working now. The solution? More water is scheduled to be released.

It's comforting to know that our government is taking care of us.

Draining water into the ocean.

Delta smelt.


Yes this ^^.

What's also interesting is the % rainfall totals for the year so far. It's interesting to see that most of the north bay is above 100% of normal rainfall. I guess that rain didn't fall in the reservoirs where it was needed.

http://www.mercurynews.com/drought/ci_27...ia-getting-much
Along to the train to nowhere California has earned the title California land of earthquakes and idiots.
 
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: Donald
Either recycle the gray water and/or desalinization.


$50 says that's where they are headed, with an enormous energy overhead and capital costs.


There is a big desalinization plant in Chula Vista (San Diego) the treehuggers shut down because it used too much energy.
 
Originally Posted By: Blaze
The current wells they are drilling now in Calif are going over 1000ft deep. The well drillers are doing good $$ and backed up with business.


At least it gives the laid off oil field workers something to do.
 
I remember reading that there is a small number of famers in CA who are water rich, because of water rights going back over a 100 years ago. Not only are they selling crops, they are also selling water.
 
Originally Posted By: Nyati
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: Donald
Either recycle the gray water and/or desalinization.


$50 says that's where they are headed, with an enormous energy overhead and capital costs.


There is a big desalinization plant in Chula Vista (San Diego) the treehuggers shut down because it used too much energy.


We'll see how long the tree huggers last when they run out of water...
 
It's utterly ridiculous for there to be water shortages in any coastal state...I know desalinizing costs money, but a lot of that could avoided if renewable energy sources were used in the process...we best be setting up more desalinization plants as our water situation isn't going to get any better...
 
Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: shinyWheels
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
California at least protected a tiny fish called the delta smelt and stopped farmers and other humans from getting the water that belonged to this fish.

Officials are also draining water from lakes and reservoirs along the American and Stanislaus rivers to encourage a salmon to swim back to the ocean faster than normal. These water releases directly into the ocean are so powerful that safety alerts are issued and people are warned to stay away from these rivers.

It appears that someone forgot to tell these experts that there was a bit of a drought in California and these experiments are destroying thousands and thousands of acres of farm land. There's been no proof that this experiment was needed and no proof that a stunt like this has ever works and it appears that it's no working now. The solution? More water is scheduled to be released.

It's comforting to know that our government is taking care of us.

Draining water into the ocean.

Delta smelt.


Yes this ^^.

What's also interesting is the % rainfall totals for the year so far. It's interesting to see that most of the north bay is above 100% of normal rainfall. I guess that rain didn't fall in the reservoirs where it was needed.

http://www.mercurynews.com/drought/ci_27...ia-getting-much
Along to the train to nowhere California has earned the title California land of earthquakes and idiots.


If you live here you might consider the fires more of a problem than an earth quake. And close behind that are the environmentalists and the EPA that are not content until they have completely destroyed the economy.

They practice their craft with no oversight.
 
where does one get the energy to run the desalinizing plant? only "free" or "cheap" energy is the type which glows in the dark and nobody wants that in their neighborhood!
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
where does one get the energy to run the desalinizing plant? only "free" or "cheap" energy is the type which glows in the dark and nobody wants that in their neighborhood!

Solar electric or solar thermal usually works quite well in a dry climate. Its not cheap, but it would make sure that the water produced has some value atleast.
 
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
It's no surprise that California, along with much of the west/southwest, is in big trouble with regard to water. The area is overpopulated by people, many of which think they need to try to turn a desert into a lush oasis. To top it off they've done little in the way of water control and containment over the last thirty years or so, during which time the population has exploded.

It is one of those things, like "the big earthquake" that many people knew was eventually going to happen.

We don't have water and we have to let billions gallons drain to ocean to save some tiny fishes, the environmental nazis sued to Federal court and won n protecting those tiny fishes.

Big one of 8.0 or stronger Earthquake will come within the next 30 years, some predict the probability is 80-85%. It will kill thousands and billions dollar in damage.
 
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: Donald
Either recycle the gray water and/or desalinization.


$50 says that's where they are headed, with an enormous energy overhead and capital costs.


14 desal plants are under construction I read.
 
The new $1b Carlsbad desalination plant will use about 10 kW-hr/kGal of electrical power, which for example at $0.15 per kW-hr means about $1.50 of electricity per thousand gallons. I suspect they will get a better rate though.

The local residential retail water cost right now is about $8.30 for the same thousand gallons so energy is a significant portion but not the majority of the cost to the residential consumer.
 
Too many people living in a state where typically there is limited rainfall. Many people in the NE USA and the SE USA cannot understand that many western states are almost always short on water. There can be a few good years with rainfall and then several years with limited rainfall. It might seem hard to believe with the forests in Colorado and other western states.

I think they typically get a lot of rain in Washington and Oregon and maybe northern California but much of California often has fairly limited rainfall. And the current drought has lasted a long time.
 
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